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Dependence of Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Results on Pulse Energies and Timing Parameters Using Soil Simulants
Published on: September 23, 2013
Mid-infrared emission from laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
Clayton S-C Yang1, Ei E Brown, Uwe H Hommerich
1Battelle Eastern Science and Technology Center, Aberdeen, Maryland 21001, USA. clayton.yang@us.army.mil
Abstract:
Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a powerful analytical technique for detecting and identifying trace elemental contaminants by monitoring the visible atomic emission from small plasmas. However, mid-infrared (MIR), generally referring to the wavelength range between 2.5 to 25 microm, molecular vibrational and rotational emissions generated by a sample during a LIBS event has not been reported. The LIBS investigations reported in the literature largely involve spectral analysis in the ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared (UV-VIS-NIR) region (less than 1 microm) to probe elemental composition and profiles. Measurements were made to probe the MIR emission from a LIBS event between 3 and 5.75 microm. Oxidation of the sputtered carbon atoms and/or carbon-containing fragments from the sample and atmospheric oxygen produced CO(2) and CO vibrational emission features from 4.2 to 4.8 microm. The LIBS MIR emission has the potential to augment the conventional UV-VIS electronic emission information with that in the MIR region.
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